The present invention relates to apparatus for blowing bubbles, and more particularly to an apparatus for producing from a bubble solution a beard of long, interconnected bubble chains.
Toys for use by children and the young at heart for producing soap bubbles are well known, as exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,711,051; 3,590,515; 4,292,754 and 4,411,095. Typically, these devices produce single discrete bubbles rather than a long chain of interconnected bubbles. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,443,337 and 4,606,731, however, disclose toys for the production of long, directionally-oriented, interconnected bubble chains. In each case, the device is of generally tubular configuration having a mouthpiece at one end through which the user blows, with the bubbles emerging from the opposite end like a stream of shaving foam emerging from an aerosol can of shaving cream. U.S. Pat. No. 3,443,337 in particular discloses that the end from which the bubbles emerge may be bifurcated (see FIGS. 13 and 14 thereof) or otherwise divided so that the bubbles emerge from that end in separate streams and then, depending upon the particulars of the configuration of that end, either remain separate or merge at a point downstream of that end.
Because in each embodiment of U.S. Pat. No. 3,443,337, the bubbles emerge from the hole in the end of the bubble-making apparatus as a directionally oriented chain, from whence they tend to droop toward the ground under the influence of gravity or are released into the air to float away, these prior art devices fail to provide an impression of the bubbles engulfing a substantial length of the device. The apparatus appears to be exactly what it is--that is, an apparatus for producing the bubbles--rather than providing the appearance and sense of becoming a part of the bubbles thus formed, as it would if the bubbles actually engulfed and surrounded a substantial length of the apparatus, both circumferentially and axially. Thus the need remains for apparatus for producing long, interconnected bubble chains which are not directionally oriented and form a fat "beard" on the apparatus by circumferentially surrounding a substantial portion of the axial length of the sidewall thereof.
Because in each embodiment of U.S. Pat. No. 3,443,337 the emerging bubbles emerge from the hole in the end of the bubble-making apparatus as a directionally oriented chain, unless they are filled with a lighter than air gas the bubbles upon release from the end of the bubble-making apparatus fail to float in the air with the ease and grace which would characterize a thinner, flatter mass of bubble chains. Thus the need remains for apparatus for producing long interconnected bubble chains which form a flat "beard" depending from the apparatus in a relatively thin, flat sheet.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus which in one embodiment produces a beard of long, interconnected bubble chains which extends circumferentially about and axially along a substantial portion of the length of the sidewall of the apparatus to form a beard of bubbles.
It is another object to provide apparatus which in another embodiment produces such a beard of long interconnected bubble chains which is relatively flat and thin to facilitate floating of the beard in the air after its release from the apparatus.